Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



L. COATALEN.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-21.1916.

1,240,422, Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS COATALEN, OF WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0SUNBEAINLMOTOE CAR COMPANY LIMITED, 01? WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented sept. 18, rear.

Application filed November 21, 1916. Serial No. 132,644..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs CoA'rALEN, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at- Wolverhampton, in the county of Stafford, England,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanismfor Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to starting mechanism or turning gear forinternal combus= tion engines, preferably such as are fitted toaeroplanes.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one arrangement of a startingmechanism constructed in accordance with this invention, and applied toan aeroplane having two engines located outside the fusilage. The figureis a plan view showing part of an aeroplane.

Fig. 2 is a cross section at right angles to the engine shaftillustrating part of the starting mechanism, and

Fig. 3- is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. 7

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

The object is to provide simple mechanical starting mechanism which canbe employed to start an engine from a point some distance away and toone side of the engine. For example, on certain types of aircraft theengine is outside the fusilage, and it is desired that the aviatorinside the fusilage be able to turn the engine crank shaft for starting.It is the object to enable this to be effected in a'simple manner.

Accordingly I employ a starting shaft which projects at right angles tothe engine shaft, and may therefore extend inside the fusilage orelsewhere, and this starting shaft drives the engine shaft throughintermediate gearing which comprises a pair of plain wheels adapted tomesh automatically when the starting shaft is rotated, and a pair ofhelical gears which provide the required right angle transmission. Ofthese helical gears thedriven element is broad and is free to slide sothat when the starting shaft is first rotated the driven helical gearmoves laterally, engaging the spur'gears. Continued rotation causes theengine shaft to be driven round.

Thus an engine may be arranged parallel to the fusilage with thestarting shaft extending at right angles from the engine into thefusilage and by employing intermediate gearing between the startingshaft and the engine shaft a very considerable gear reduction can beobtained as will be obvious.

In the application shown in Fig. 1, the aeroplane is provided with acentral fusilage A and outside of this and at each side thereof isarranged an engine B. The starting mechanism which forms the subject ofthis invention enables either engine to be turned from inside thefusilage.

The mechanism illustrated comprises an intermediate shaft C which liesparallel to the engine shaft D, which may be the engine crank shaft asillustrated, and at right angles to the starting shaft E. The twostarting shafts E project within the fusilage and their inner ends areprovided with rotating devices such as starting handles F, or startingmotors may be used.

Each starting shaft E is preferably flexible, being, if necessary,provided with universal joints, and the outer end E carries a helicalgear G, which meshes constantly with a broad helical gear H formed inone with, or attached to a plain pinion J. The compound gear constitutedby the members H and J is free to slide on the intermediate shaft C andwhen it is at its right hand extremity the gear J meshes with the gear Kon the engine shaft. When at the left hand extremity, as shown in Fig.3, the gears J and K are disengaged.

If desired there may be some frictional device acting upon the compoundgear H J, or there may be a positive drag consisting of a pin such as Lwhich has to be pushed into engagement with a tooth on the ear H whenstarting, and is normally hel out of engagement by a spring. Usually,however, the natural frictional drag of the parts is suflicient to causethe gear H J to slide as required. The result is that when the startingshaft is rotated the gear H tends to lag and, instead of rotating, itmoves axially taking with it the pinion J which is consequently slidinto mesh with the gear K. The compound pinion then bears up against thethrust bearing L and the continued rotation of the startlng shaft turnsthe engine shaft slowly causing the en ine to draw in charges of gaswhich are su sequently fired in any convenient manner.

I wish-to make it clear that I know that it is not novel to use helicalgearing in engine turning mechanism for the purpose of effectingautomatic engagement and disengagement. For instance, in one case it hasbeen proposed to drive the engine through two helical gears on shafts atright angles so arranged that when the driver is rotated it caused thedriven gear first to move endwise on its shaft and engage a clutch onthe engine shaft and then be rotated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In turning gear for an internal combustion engine, the combination ofan engine shaft, a gear wheel thereon, a starting shaft at right anglesthereto, a turning device at one end of said startin shaft, ahelical'pinion at the other end of said starting shaft, an intermediateshaft at right angles to said starting shaft and parallel to said engineshaft, a broad helical gear sliding on said intermediate shaft andmeshing with said helical pinion, a gear pinion fixed to said helicalgear and adapted to mesh with said gear wheel on said engine shaft,substantially as set forth.

2. In turning gear for an internal combustion engine, the combination ofan engine shaft, a gear wheel thereon, a starting s aft at right anglesthereto, a turning devioe at one end of said starting shaft, a helicalpinion at the other end of said starting shafti an intermediate shaft atright angles to sai starting shaft and parallel to said engine shaft, abroad helical gear sliding on said intermediate shaft and meshing withsaid helical pinion, a gear pinion fixed to said helical gear andadapted to mesh with said gear Wheel on said en ine shaft, a detentengaging said'broad helical gear, and a spring holding said detent outof engagement, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS COATALEN. Witnesses:

SAMUEL Bamss, L. CURETON.

